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Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed immediately. An unopened refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about four hours; a full freezer for about 48 hours, or about 24 hours when half full. In hot weather, move perishables to an iced cooler that can be verified at 40°F (4°C) or below before those limits expire. Discard food when the time or temperature is unknown or exceeds the applicable limit—never taste it to test safety.
What to do in the first minutes
- Keep both appliance doors shut. Every opening releases cold air and shortens the period during which food remains safely chilled. Decide what you need before opening the door, then close it promptly.
- Note the outage start time. Write it down or set a phone reminder. Safe decisions depend on elapsed time as well as temperature.
- Check appliance thermometers without opening the doors repeatedly. The refrigerator target is 40°F (4°C) or below; the freezer target is 0°F (-18°C) or below. If you do not have thermometers, use the conservative time estimates and treat uncertain food as unsafe.
- Prepare an alternate cold source. If the outage may last more than four hours, get an insulated cooler, ice or frozen gel packs, and a thermometer. Keep the cooler in the shade and open it only briefly.
- Protect food from heat. Do not leave a cooler in direct sun, a hot car, or beside a running generator. Outside temperatures above 90°F (32°C) reduce the safe time for perishables left without controlled refrigeration to one hour.
- Do not taste food. Odor, color, texture, and a small bite cannot reliably reveal dangerous bacteria. FoodSafety.gov states, “After a power outage never taste food to determine its safety.”
The time and temperature limits that control your decision
Use the most specific information available: a verified temperature is better than an estimate, and a food-specific official chart is better than a general rule. The following figures are general FoodSafety.gov guidance for a closed appliance; they are not guarantees if the appliance was opened, malfunctioning, overloaded, or exposed to unusual heat.
| Situation | Guidance | How to apply it |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator with door closed | About four hours of cold holding | After that period, discard refrigerated perishables unless they were moved to verified cold storage sooner. |
| Full freezer with door closed | About 48 hours | Food that still has ice crystals, feels as cold as refrigerated food, or measures 40°F (4°C) or below can generally be refrozen or cooked; quality may decline. |
| Half-full freezer with door closed | About 24 hours | Use the shorter estimate because less frozen mass provides less thermal protection. |
| Refrigerated food above 40°F (4°C) | More than two hours is a discard trigger for many perishables in the food-specific chart | Apply the chart to the individual food, not to smell or appearance. |
| Perishables outside controlled refrigeration when the air is above 90°F (32°C) | No more than one hour | Count time in a warm room, vehicle, outdoor area, or inadequately chilled cooler. |
| Safe cold-storage targets | Refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C); freezer at or below 0°F (-18°C) | Use appliance thermometers and a cooler thermometer to verify, rather than assuming ice alone is sufficient. |
These limits work together. For example, a refrigerator that has been without power for two hours may still be below 40°F, while food in a warm kitchen can pass the one-hour hot-weather limit even if the outage itself has lasted less time. When the time or temperature cannot be established, choose the safer option and discard.
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How to manage the refrigerator
Keep the cold air inside
Leave the door closed and do not move food around merely to inspect it. A closed, fully stocked refrigerator retains cold better than an empty one, but neither the amount of food nor a cold exterior guarantees safety. The four-hour estimate assumes the door stays shut and the appliance was operating normally before the outage.
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Move perishables before the estimate expires
If restoration is not expected within roughly four hours, transfer high-risk foods to a cooler packed with enough ice or frozen gel packs to keep the contents at or below 40°F (4°C). Prioritize meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft dairy products, cooked leftovers, cut fruit, cut vegetables, and other foods labeled “keep refrigerated.” Pack the cooler tightly, keep it shaded, and limit opening to necessary checks.
Do not treat a little ice as proof of safety
Ice in a cooler can melt while food remains too warm. Put a thermometer among the food and verify the actual temperature. Add ice or gel packs when the reading approaches 40°F (4°C), and drain meltwater only if doing so does not expose food to warmer air for long.
How to manage the freezer
Use the full-versus-half-full estimate
A full freezer with its door closed generally holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours. A half-full freezer generally holds for about 24 hours. These are approximate holding periods, not permission to leave food indefinitely; opening the door, a warm surrounding room, or a freezer that was already above 0°F (-18°C) shortens them.
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Inspect food without unnecessary thawing
When power returns, look for ice crystals and check temperature with a food thermometer when possible. Frozen food that still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as refrigerated food, or that is at or below 40°F (4°C), can generally be refrozen or cooked. Refreezing may reduce texture and quality, especially for foods with high water content, but a quality change is different from a safety decision.
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Separate questionable items
Place food with uncertain status in a separate container while you consult the official frozen-food chart. Do not mix it with food you know remained frozen, because leaking liquid can contaminate packaging and make later decisions harder.
How to pack an emergency cooler
- Choose an insulated cooler large enough for the food and cold source. A crowded cooler can work well if cold air cannot circulate around food, but do not force the lid open or leave gaps that let warm air in.
- Pre-chill the cooler when possible. Add frozen gel packs or bagged ice before loading food. If no pre-chilling time is available, load immediately and monitor the temperature.
- Load the most perishable foods first. Put sealed packages in leak-resistant containers. Keep ready-to-eat foods above raw meat, poultry, and seafood so drips cannot contaminate them.
- Fill empty spaces with ice or gel packs. The objective is a measured temperature of 40°F (4°C) or below, not simply a visible layer of ice.
- Place a thermometer inside. Check quickly and close the lid. If the reading rises above 40°F (4°C), add cold packs or move food to a colder container.
- Keep it shaded and stationary. A cooler in direct sun or a hot vehicle can exceed the safe range rapidly. Do not store it next to a generator exhaust or another heat source.
- Open only for a planned reason. Group meals and checks together so the lid is not repeatedly opened.
If you cannot keep the cooler at or below 40°F (4°C), it is not a safe substitute for refrigeration. Follow the hot-weather one-hour limit for perishables when the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (32°C).
Dry ice and block ice for a prolonged outage
For an outage expected to last beyond the refrigerator or freezer holding estimates, FoodSafety.gov identifies dry ice or block ice as options for keeping cold storage colder. Availability varies locally, so identify a source before severe weather arrives and follow the supplier’s handling directions.
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- Do not put dry ice directly against food. Keep it separated by suitable packaging and follow the product’s instructions.
- Provide ventilation where dry ice is used because it releases carbon dioxide gas as it sublimates. Never place it in an airtight container or an occupied, unventilated room.
- Use a thermometer to verify food temperature; the presence of dry or block ice alone does not prove that every item stayed safe.
Block ice generally lasts longer than small cubes, while smaller pieces can cool food faster. Either option must be used with an insulated container, a closed lid, and temperature checks.
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What to do when power returns
Refrigerated foods
Keep the door closed until you are ready to make decisions. If the refrigerator was without power for about four hours, discard refrigerated perishables such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and leftovers. If you know a particular item was above 40°F (4°C) for more than two hours, use the FoodSafety.gov food-by-food chart; many perishable entries call for discarding at that point. A refrigerator that feels cool, or food that smells normal, does not override the time-and-temperature guidance.
Frozen foods
Check each package for remaining ice crystals and, when practical, measure the food. Items still icy and cold as refrigerated, or at or below 40°F (4°C), can generally be cooked or refrozen. Mark them for prompt use because texture may deteriorate. Food that is completely thawed and has been above the safe range for too long should be discarded according to the official frozen-food chart.
Clean up safely
Discard leaking packages in sealed bags. Clean and sanitize surfaces touched by raw juices, and wash hands after handling questionable food or meltwater. Do not restore questionable leftovers to a working refrigerator in the hope that cooling them again will make them safe; refrigeration slows growth but does not reverse unsafe exposure.
Food-by-food decisions
The general rules identify when to act, but individual foods differ. Use the official FoodSafety.gov chart for a specific item, especially when the package was opened or the food was partially thawed.
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| Food category | Why it needs prompt attention | Practical outage action |
|---|---|---|
| Raw or cooked meat, poultry, and seafood | High moisture and protein support rapid bacterial growth when warm. | Move to monitored cold storage early; discard when the relevant time or temperature trigger is exceeded. |
| Eggs and egg dishes | Shell eggs and prepared egg foods are perishable. | Keep at or below 40°F (4°C); do not rely on shell appearance or odor. |
| Milk, soft dairy, and cream-based foods | They can become unsafe without obvious visual change. | Prioritize them in the cooler and use the chart after a temperature excursion. |
| Cooked leftovers and casseroles | They may support growth throughout the dish, not just at the surface. | Transfer promptly or discard after the applicable exposure limit. |
| Cut fruit, cut vegetables, and prepared salads | Cut surfaces release moisture and remove some of the protection of an intact product. | Keep chilled and evaluate with the food-specific guidance. |
| Whole, uncut produce and shelf-stable foods | Many whole fruits, vegetables, canned goods, bread, and dry goods do not require the same refrigeration. | Keep packages clean and dry, and follow the label. Do not assume every item in the refrigerator has the same risk. |
Packaging dates do not make food safe after a temperature abuse event. The outage exposure is the controlling fact.
Why hot weather changes the plan
Heat removes the margin that people often expect from a brief outage. When the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F (32°C), FoodSafety.gov limits perishable food outside controlled refrigeration to one hour. That hour includes time on a counter, in a warm room, in a vehicle, or in a cooler that has not been verified at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Plan the cooler before the power fails, not after food has warmed. Keep it in the coolest shaded location available, avoid opening it while deciding what to save, and use separate containers if raw packages could leak. If the cooler cannot maintain the target temperature, discard rather than extending the time because ice is present.
Preparation before an outage
- Install appliance thermometers. Keep one in the refrigerator and one in the freezer so you know normal operating temperatures and can check after an outage.
- Set the targets correctly. Maintain the refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C) and the freezer at or below 0°F (-18°C).
- Freeze cold reserves. Keep reusable gel packs and clean containers of water frozen. They can provide thermal mass for a cooler during an outage.
- Group freezer contents. Keeping frozen items together helps them retain cold longer and makes it easier to inspect the freezer quickly.
- Freeze foods you will not need immediately. Moving suitable refrigerated foods into the freezer before a forecast outage can extend their safe storage, provided the freezer has capacity and remains at its target temperature.
- Keep an insulated cooler accessible. Do not bury it in storage where you cannot reach it during a storm or heat emergency.
- Identify local ice supplies. Find where block ice, packaged ice, or dry ice may be available and learn the supplier’s safety instructions.
- Keep a food thermometer and cleaning supplies nearby. A thermometer provides evidence; sanitizer and sealed disposal bags make cleanup safer.
- Plan for people with higher food-safety risk. Infants, older adults, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems can suffer more severe illness, so use the conservative choice when evidence is uncertain.
Common mistakes and how to correct them
Opening the freezer to “check” repeatedly
Problem: Each inspection releases cold air and shortens the holding period. Correction: Keep the door closed until you have a specific reason to open it, then work quickly.
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Assuming a cooler with ice is automatically safe
Problem: Ice may be melting while food is already above 40°F (4°C). Correction: Put a thermometer in the cooler and replenish cold packs based on the reading.
Using smell or taste as a test
Problem: Pathogens may be present without changing odor, color, or texture. Correction: Use elapsed time, measured temperature, and the official food-specific chart. FoodSafety.gov summarizes the rule as “When in Doubt, Throw it Out!”
Refreezing food without checking its condition
Problem: Refreezing does not make food safe if it spent too long warm. Correction: Refreeze or cook only food that still has ice crystals and feels refrigerated-cold, or measures 40°F (4°C) or below, and discard items that exceed the applicable exposure limit.
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Problem: A digital display may show the current temperature, not the warmest temperature reached during the outage. Correction: Use an independent appliance or food thermometer and the outage timeline.
Putting questionable food back with safe food
Problem: Leaks can contaminate packages and surfaces. Correction: Isolate uncertain items in sealed containers while evaluating them, then clean any contacted surfaces.
A simple save-or-discard decision framework
- Was the food kept at or below 40°F (4°C)? If a thermometer confirms that it stayed within the limit, it may be retained according to the food’s normal storage guidance.
- Can you establish how long it was warmer than 40°F? If the exposure exceeded the applicable chart limit—or if the time is unknown—discard the perishable food.
- Was it in a freezer and does it still have ice crystals? If yes, and it remains refrigerated-cold or at or below 40°F (4°C), it can generally be cooked or refrozen, with possible quality loss.
- Was the surrounding temperature above 90°F (32°C)? Apply the one-hour limit to food outside verified cold storage.
- Could packaging have leaked or been contaminated? Separate, discard as necessary, and sanitize the affected area.
The safest choice is not always the least wasteful choice: an insulated cooler, frozen packs, and a thermometer can preserve food during a long outage, but equipment cannot erase an unknown or excessive warm exposure. When evidence is missing, follow FoodSafety.gov’s advice and throw it out.
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